Être ER
French: Cambridge International GCSE, topic 7.2.3
Regular ER Verbs
In French there are 14 verbs that use 'être' to form the pluperfect tense. It is important to note that verbs that use 'être' agree with the person who is speaking and gender. Here are the regular ER verbs that use 'être':
Monter - to go up, to climb
- J'étais monté(e) - I had gone up.
- Tu étais monté(e) - you (singular) had gone up.
- Il/elle/on était monté(e) - he/she/one had gone up.
- Nous étions monté(e)s - we had gone up.
- Vous étiez monté(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had gone up.
- Ils/elles étaient monté(e)s - they had gone up.
Retourner - to return
- J'étais retourné(e) - I had returned.
- Tu étais retourné(e) - you (singular) had returned.
- Il/elle/on était retourné(e) - he/she/one had returned.
- Nous étions retourné(e)s - we had returned.
- Vous étiez retourné(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had returned.
- Ils/elles étaient retourné(e)s - they had returned.
Arriver - to arrive
- J'étais arrivé(e) - I had arrived.
- Tu étais arrivé(e) - you (singular) had arrived.
- Il/elle était arrivé(e) - he/she/one had arrived.
- Nous étions arrivé(e)s - we had arrived.
- Vous étiez arrivé(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had arrived.
- Ils/elles étaient arrivé(e)s - they had arrived.
Entrer - to enter
- J'étais entré(e) - I had entered.
- Tu étais entré(e) - you (singular) had entered.
- Il/elle était entré(e) - he/she/one had entered.
- Nous étions entré(e)s - we had entered.
- Vous étiez entré(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had entered.
- Ils/elles étaient entré(e)s - they had entered.
Regular ER Verbs
In French, there are 14 verbs that use 'être' to form the pluperfect tense. It is important to note that verbs that use 'être' agree with the person who is speaking and gender. Here are the regular ER verbs that use 'être':
Rester - to stay
- J'étais resté(e) - I had stayed.
- Tu étais resté(e) - you (singular) had stayed.
- Il/elle/on était resté(e) - he/she/one had stayed.
- Nous étions resté(e)s - we had stayed.
- Vous étiez resté(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had stayed.
- Ils/elles étaient resté(e)s - they had stayed.
Tomber - to fall
- J'étais tombé(e) - I had fallen.
- Tu étais tombé(e) - you (singular) had fallen.
- Il/elle/on était tombé(e) - he/she/one had fallen.
- Nous étions tombé(e)s - we had fallen.
- Vous étiez tombé(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had fallen.
- Ils/elles étaient tombé(e)s - they had fallen.
Rentrer - to go back, to return
- J'étais rentré(e) - I had gone back.
- Tu étais rentré(e) - you (singular) had gone back.
- Il/elle/on étais rentré(e) - he/she/one had gone back.
- Nous étions rentré(e)s - we had gone back.
- Vous étiez rentré(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had gone back.
- Ils/elles étaient rentré(e)s - they had went back.
Aller - to go
- J'étais allé(e) - I had gone.
- Tu étais allé(e) - you (singular) had gone.
- Il/elle/on était allé(e) - he/she/one had gone.
- Nous étions allé(e)s - we had gone.
- Vous étiez allé(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had gone.
- Ils/elles étaient allé(e)s - they had gone.
Test yourself on Être ER
How do you say 'she had returned' in French?
Which one of these is NOT correct?
How do you say 'I had stayed' in French?
Which of these is NOT a correct form of the pluperfect tense?